Thermally-controlled door closer



. May 25, 192e. 1,586,198

w. K. HENRY .THERMALLY CONTROLLED DOOR CLOSER Filed Nov. 11. 1922 Patented May 25, 1926.

UNITED STATES;

PATENI orFiCE.

WILLIAM K. HENRY, OIE," NEW B-RITLATN, CONNECTCUT, ASSTGNOR T THE AMERICAN HARDWARE CORPORATION, OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

THERMALLY-CQNTROLLED DOOR CLOSER.

Application filed November My invention relates to door closers, and lnore particularly to door closing checks of the type which are capable of holdingy the door open Whenthe. door is opened to a predetermined degree, and of releasing, and closing the door in the event of lire; and has for its principal object to provide a novel and improved door check of this type which is simple, strong and durable in construction, and reliable in operation.

The several' features of the invention will be clearly understood from the following description and accollpanying drawings, in Which,

Figure 1 is a plan view of a door check embodying the features of the invention in their preferred form, the door check being shown applied to a swinging door and the door case being, shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a similar vieu7 but With the door shown open;

Fige 3 is a Side elevation of the Seme;

Fig. 4 isa detail sectional view, partly in elevation, taken on thev line `4--4 of Fig.v 2;

Figs. 5, 6 and7 are detail sectional views taken on the lines 5 5, 6 6, and Te-7, respectively, of Fig, 4; and

Fig. 8 is a detail View in perspective of a fusible element constituting a component part of the door check.l y

The door check illustrated in the drawings is shown applied' to a` swinging door 2 and a door case 4. The door check coinprises a casing 6 Which is secured to the door. The casing 6 is of a .Common construction and contains a helical spring (not shown) surrounding` the shaft 8'. rlfhe spring is held under proper tension by means of a usual locking disk 10 mounted on the upper end of the shaft, and a pawl 12 carried by the arm 14 and adapted to provided for holding the door open 'When it is fully opened or opened to a prcdetern 11,l 192,2. serial No. 000,200,

mined degree. 'l`o provide for this a chamber 18 is formed on the under side of the arm 14 and extends longitudinally ofthe arm. The end portion of the interior of the chamber 1S directed toward the axis of the shaft 8 is reduced in diameter to provide a tearing for a slidable detent 20.. An anti-friction roll 22, mountedv on the outer end of the detent 20, is adapted to, enter a cooperating locking recess or notch 24 in a projection 26 on the casing 6 when tliedoor is swung open. rlhe detent is provided With a head 28 that ,cooperates with a shoulder 3() on the interiornof the chamber 1S to limit the extent of the outward movement of the detent. The head 28 is U- shaped and the interior of the chamber 18 back of the shoulder 30y is of a corresponding shape so as to cooperate therewith to prevent the detent from turning, which insures the roll 22jbeing held in proper angular position at all times so as to enable it to properly engage the notch in the projection 26. The detent 20 is urged outwardly by means of a coiled spring 32 arranged in the chamber 418. c

` 4 VExcept as hereinafter described, the parts above referred to may be and preferably are vthe same as the corresponding parts of the door check described and claimed in my copending application filed of4 even date hereivith Serial Number 600,261.

In the'illustrated construction the outer end of the coiled. spring 32 is engaged by a movable abutment comprising e, mit 34C which substantially .fits the 1-shaped portion of the interior of the chamber 18 so as to be held from rotation, but permitting longitudinal movementthereof in the chamber. An adjusting screw 36 for .said abutw nient nut 34 is sc're\vtlireaded through the nut, and its outer end is provided with a head 37 that ab'uts a block 3S which is normally .held inlined angular position. The block 36 provided with a` central std 40 that extends into a central socket in the screw head 36, and the stud islprovided with an annular groove 42 through which a Ypin 44 secured in a transverse aperture in the head 38 entends, the pin being tangent to the inner periphery of the annular groove, thus providing a swvivelled block on the head 37. This connection between the head of' the adjusting screw` S43 and. the biocil enables the screw to be turned to longitudinally adjust the abutment without turning,` the block 38, and thus ac just the tension of the detent spring 32, the head of the adjusting` screw being provided with a series ot radia sockets 46 so as to enable a socket wrench to be employed to turn the screw.

ln the illustrated construction means is also provided which is rendered operative only in case oit tire tor releasing; the spring actuated arm 14@ .so as to cual" le it to close the door. To provide tor this a flat, vcrtically disposed thermal device or fusible member 48 is interposed between the block 38 and lined abutment 50 en the under side of the spring actuated arm it. The fusible member is made up ot two vertically disposed sheet metal parts which are soldered or otherwise secured together by means of suitable fusible material rPhe block 38 is provided with a 'transverse slot 53 in which one end ot the 'fusible member is sea-ted, and the fixed abutment is provided with a correspondingtransverse slot 5G in which the other end ot the fusible member is seated. The upper longitudinal edge portion of the fusible member is held between dependinglips 58 toi-med on the under side of the spring` actuated arm let. `With this construction it will be apparent that in case of fire the fusible material connecting the component parts of the fusible member will become melted and the parts separat-ed, and as the fusible member serves as the abutment for the block 38, the screw 36 and abutment nut 34, the tension on the plunger spring 32 will be relieved, thus pemitting the springactuated arm 14 to immediately release its plunger 20 from the pro jection 2e an-d close the door.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the fusible member is so mounted on the under side ot the spring; actuated arm 14 as to be well protected by the arm, and still be exposed to the maximum degree ot heat ot the room in which the door check is used.

As will be evident to those skilled in the art my invention permits orp various modifications without departing1 from the spirit thereni` or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is l. A door check having, in combination, a easing for attachment to the door, a springactuated arm movable horizontally about the vertical axis of the casino', a slidable detent mounted on said `arm and having one end arranged to engage an abutment on said casing when the door is opened, a longitudinally slide-ble abutment mounted on said arm back ot said detent, a coiled springgl interposed between said slidable abutment and said detent, and a fusible member interposed between said slidable abutment; and an abutment on said arm and resisting the thrust o1 said slidable abutment.

2. A door check having, in combination, a casing for attachment to the door, a spring actuated arm movable horizontally about the vertical axis of the casing', a slidable detcnt mounted on .said arm and having` one end arranged to engage an abutment on said casing' when the door is opened, a longitudinally m vable abutment mounted on said arm back or" said dc'tent, a coiled spring interposed between said movable abutment and said detent, and a fusible member interposed between said movable abutment and an abutment on said arm and resisting the thrust ot said movable abutment, said movable abutment having provision tor adjustment to adjust the tension ot said spring.

8. A door check having, in combination, a casing for attachment to tl door, a sprr-,igv actuated arm movable horizontaliy about the vertical axis oi" the casing and having;- a longitudinally extending` cliai'nber on its unde' side, a sl'dable datent mounted in said chamber having one end arrange-d 'to engage an abutment on said casing when the door 'is opened, an abutment mounted for lonritudinal movement in said chamber and held from rotary movement and arranged back ot said detent, a springv interposed between said movable abutment and saitL detent, an adjusting screw threaded through said movable abutment, a longitudinally movable bl el; on which the head of the screw is mounted for rotation, and a fusible mem-l ber interposed between said bloei; and an abutment on the under side of said arm.

il. A door check having, in combination, a casing for attachment to the door, a spring; actuated arm movable horizontally about the vertical axis out the casing' and having a longitudinally extending; chamber on its under side, a slidable detent mounted in said chan'iber having one end arranged to engage an abutment on said casing when the door is opened, a abutment nut rmounted for longitudinal movement in said chamber and held trom rotary movement and arranged back ot said decent, a spring interposed between said movable abutment nut and sai-d detent, and adjusting; screw tl'ueaded through said movable abutment nut, a longitudinally movable block on which the head ot the` screw is mounted tor rotation, and means :for holding' said block from longitudinal movement in a direction away from said spring and detent. n

5. A door check having, in combination, a casing, for attachment to the door. a springr actuated arm movable horizontally about the vertical anis oi" the casing, a detent mounted to slide longitudinaliv on said arm toward and Jfrom said airis of the casing and having one end arranged to engage an abut lon ment on Said casing when the door is open, an abutment mounted to slide loi'igitudinally on said arm in the same direction as said sliding movement of said detent and arranged back ot said detent, a coiled spring interposed between said slidable abutment and said detent, and a fusible member interposed between said movable abutment and an abutment on said arm and constituting an abutment for resisting the thrust ot' said slidable abutment, said detent, slidable abutment and fusible member being arranged in alinement.

6. A door check having, in combination, a casing for attachment to thc door, a spring actuated arm movable horizontally about the vertical axis ot the casing, a detent mounted to slide longitudinally ou said arm toward and from said axis o'l the casing and having one end arranged to engage an abutment on said casingA when the door is open, an abutment n'lount'cd to slide longitudinally on said arm, arranged bacl-I ol.: said detent and held i'rom rotary movement, a coiled spring interposed between said slid.- able abutment and said detent for pressing` the detent toward the axis ot said casing, a screw screw-threaded through said slidable abutment, a fusible member arranged in alinement with said screw tor resisting` the outward thrust of said screw under the tension of said coiled spring, and a swivel connection between said screw and said fusible member to permit rotary movement ot the screw independently of said fusible member to vary the longitudinal position of said slidable abutment.

7. A door check having, in combination, a casing for attachment to the door, a spring actuated arm movable horizontally about the vertical axis of the casing and having a longitudinally extending chamber on its under side, a slidable detent mounted in said chamber having one end arranged to engage an abutment on said casing when the door is open, an abutment mounted 'for longitudinal movement in said chamber and held from rotary movement and arranged back ot' said detent, a spring interposed between said movable abutment and said detent, an adspring under tension comprising a fusible member mounted on said arm and constituting an abutment for resisting the thrust of said spring, said means having provision for adjustment to vary the tension of said spring.

9. A door check having, in combination, a casing tor attachment to the door, a spring actuated arm movable horizontally about the vertical axis ot the casing, a slidable detent mounted on said arm having its outer Aend arranged to engage an abutment on said casing when the door is open, a spring for urging said detent outwardly, and thermally controlled means 'or maintaining said spring under tension comprising a fusible member mounted on said arm and constituting an abutment for saidspring.

l0. A door check having, in combination, a casing for attachment to the door, a spring actuated arm -movable horizontally about the vertical axis of the casing, a slidable detent mounted on said arm and having its outer end arranged to engage an abutment on said casing when Athe door is open, a spring for urging said detent outwardly, an abutment for holding the sp "ing under tension, a screw on whichsaid spring abutment is mounted for adjusting the position ot the abutment to vary the tension oit' said spring and movable longitudinally with said abutment, and means comprising a fusible member for holding said screw and movable abutment from 'longitudinal movement against the action of said spring.

WILLIAM K. HENRY. 

